Discover the history of the daily menu: its origin in the Franco-era BOE, the 2010 liberalization, and the price of the menu in 2025 in today’s Spain.
The daily menu is probably the most quintessentially Spanish gastronomic institution, alongside the bar counter and a cold beer. But its story has been told so poorly for so many years that it seems like a mix of myth, nostalgia, and anecdote.
No, it wasn’t born by accident. And no, it wasn’t a “cute idea” of Franco’s regime. It was created because the law required it, with regulated prices and minimum dishes. And yes: it has a name and a reference… in the official state bulletin (BOE).
Let’s debunk myths, put the history in order, and understand why in 2025 the average daily menu already costs €14.20, and why many bars and restaurants are struggling to balance the books.
Here there are no rumors, just the BOE.
During the tourist boom under Franco’s regime, the Ministry of Information and Tourism, led by Manuel Fraga, issued an order obliging all Spanish restaurants to offer a Tourist Menu accessible to any traveler.
Article 3 leaves no room for doubt:
“In all cases, restaurants are required to offer the Tourist Menu.”
Mandatory. For everyone. No debate.
What the law required:
And at a regulated price according to the restaurant’s category.
This is the true origin of the daily menu. Not tradition, not custom. Law. Pure regulation.
In 1981, the Tourist Menu officially became the “House Menu,” but the concept of a regulated menu did not disappear. The administration updated the regulations for the new political and tourism context, but still specified how a complete meal should be offered at a fixed price.
In practice, the 1981 order meant:
In other words, the daily menu remained a regulated and monitored product: not a courtesy from the restaurant, but a tool to guarantee a “complete and affordable” option within the establishment.
So the idea that “the obligation ended in 1981” is incomplete; the real turning point came nearly thirty years later, with the liberalization of 2010, when offering the daily menu ceased to be a legal requirement and became the restaurant’s business decision.
The real change came in 2010, with the famous Omnibus Law, derived from the European Services Directive. That’s when the state obligation was definitively eliminated.
Since then:
That’s why today every neighborhood has a different reality: in some areas the daily menu has disappeared, while in others it remains the lunchtime lifesaver.
According to the Spain Hospitality Yearbook + Edenred (2025), the average daily menu price has steadily increased over the past decade, reflecting both inflation and rising ingredient costs.
Up 1.5% from 2024.
Regional breakdown:
Most interesting:
| 2016 | ~11.9 |
| 2018 | 12.3 |
| 2020 | 12.8 |
| 2022 | 13.1 |
| 2024 | 14.0 |
| 2025 | 14.2 |
The daily menu price has risen sharply in recent years, and not because bars want to earn more: the cost of producing each meal has steadily increased.
Key factors:
The consequence is clear: a menu that could sell for €10–12 ten years ago would not cover production costs today. This explains why prices have risen and why some bars have had to adjust their menus—not because they “want to make more money.”
Many articles focus on nostalgia:
It’s fine to feel that way, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
The truth is that many menus today don’t make sense if managed the same way as 15 years ago. Costs have risen, ingredients are more expensive, and preparing dozens of menus at lunchtime requires organization.
The daily menu is still the king of lunch, but offering it isn’t enough: it must be sustainable and appealing to customers.
Ways to make it work better:
It’s not magic; it’s just a way for bars and restaurants to keep offering their daily menu without losing their essence.
Looking at it overall:
It’s not a question of whether it will survive, but how it will stay relevant. Bars that can adapt, organize, and present their menu attractively will continue filling their dining rooms at midday.
Those that don’t… will have to rethink how to attract customers, because tradition alone no longer sustains the daily menu.
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